diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/FullSolrCloudDistribCmdsTest.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/FullSolrCloudDistribCmdsTest.java
index d0d10fda0297..6255aa168b6b 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/FullSolrCloudDistribCmdsTest.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/FullSolrCloudDistribCmdsTest.java
@@ -437,8 +437,6 @@ public void testThatCantForwardToLeaderFails() throws Exception {
     // create a new node for the purpose of killing it...
     final JettySolrRunner leaderToPartition = cluster.startJettySolrRunner();
     try {
-      cluster.waitForNode(leaderToPartition, DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
-
       // HACK: we have to stop the node in order to enable the proxy, in order to then restart the
       // node
       // (in order to then "partition it" later via the proxy)
@@ -451,7 +449,6 @@ public void testThatCantForwardToLeaderFails() throws Exception {
       try {
         log.info("leaderToPartition's Proxy: {}", proxy);
 
-        cluster.waitForNode(leaderToPartition, DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
         // create a 2x1 collection using a nodeSet that includes our leaderToPartition...
         assertEquals(
             RequestStatusState.COMPLETED,
diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestCloudSearcherWarming.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestCloudSearcherWarming.java
index bc44ef1ba00a..427020a7755f 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestCloudSearcherWarming.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestCloudSearcherWarming.java
@@ -189,7 +189,6 @@ public void testPeersyncFailureReplicationSuccess() throws Exception {
     ZkStateReader.from(solrClient).registerCollectionStateWatcher(collectionName, stateWatcher);
 
     JettySolrRunner newNode = cluster.startJettySolrRunner();
-    cluster.waitForAllNodes(30);
     CollectionAdminRequest.addReplicaToShard(collectionName, "shard1")
         .setNode(newNode.getNodeName())
         .process(solrClient);
diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestMiniSolrCloudClusterSSL.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestMiniSolrCloudClusterSSL.java
index 457429a21ac0..2253ba85f8dd 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestMiniSolrCloudClusterSSL.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/TestMiniSolrCloudClusterSSL.java
@@ -270,7 +270,6 @@ public static void checkClusterWithCollectionCreations(
 
     // create a new server
     JettySolrRunner startedServer = cluster.startJettySolrRunner();
-    cluster.waitForAllNodes(30);
     assertTrue(startedServer.isRunning());
     assertEquals(NUM_SERVERS, cluster.getJettySolrRunners().size());
 
diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/api/collections/TestCollectionsAPIViaSolrCloudCluster.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/api/collections/TestCollectionsAPIViaSolrCloudCluster.java
index 7f8634e448a1..4474317e2247 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/api/collections/TestCollectionsAPIViaSolrCloudCluster.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cloud/api/collections/TestCollectionsAPIViaSolrCloudCluster.java
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ public void testCollectionCreateSearchDelete() throws Exception {
 
     // create a server
     JettySolrRunner startedServer = cluster.startJettySolrRunner();
-    cluster.waitForAllNodes(30);
     assertTrue(startedServer.isRunning());
     assertEquals(nodeCount, cluster.getJettySolrRunners().size());
 
@@ -162,7 +161,6 @@ public void testCollectionCreateSearchDelete() throws Exception {
 
     // re-create a server (to restore original nodeCount count)
     startedServer = cluster.startJettySolrRunner(jettyToStop);
-    cluster.waitForAllNodes(30);
     assertTrue(startedServer.isRunning());
     assertEquals(nodeCount, cluster.getJettySolrRunners().size());
 
diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cluster/events/ClusterEventProducerTest.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cluster/events/ClusterEventProducerTest.java
index 6f217be9644c..6fdcfe7fb848 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cluster/events/ClusterEventProducerTest.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/cluster/events/ClusterEventProducerTest.java
@@ -164,7 +164,6 @@ public void testEvents() throws Exception {
     // NODES_UP
     eventsListener.setExpectedType(ClusterEvent.EventType.NODES_UP);
     JettySolrRunner newNode = cluster.startJettySolrRunner();
-    cluster.waitForNode(newNode, 60);
     eventsListener.waitForExpectedEvent(30);
     assertNotNull(
         "should be NODES_UP events", eventsListener.events.get(ClusterEvent.EventType.NODES_UP));
diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/impl/TestCloudSolrClientConnections.java b/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/impl/TestCloudSolrClientConnections.java
index 19c1a75de399..bb11e669b087 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/impl/TestCloudSolrClientConnections.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/client/solrj/impl/TestCloudSolrClientConnections.java
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ public void testCloudClientCanConnectAfterClusterComesUp() throws Exception {
           e.getMessage().contains("cluster not found/not ready"));
 
       cluster.startJettySolrRunner();
-      cluster.waitForAllNodes(30);
       client.connect(20, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
 
       // should work now!
@@ -77,7 +76,6 @@ public void testCloudClientUploads() throws Exception {
           e.getMessage().contains("cluster not found/not ready"));
 
       cluster.startJettySolrRunner();
-      cluster.waitForAllNodes(30);
       client.connect(20, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
 
       cluster.getZkClient().upConfig(configPath, "testconfig");
diff --git a/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/TestCollectionStateWatchers.java b/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/TestCollectionStateWatchers.java
index d4e99dac6963..c99080896c4b 100644
--- a/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/TestCollectionStateWatchers.java
+++ b/solr/solrj/src/test/org/apache/solr/common/cloud/TestCollectionStateWatchers.java
@@ -139,8 +139,6 @@ private void doTestCollectionWatchWithNodeShutdown(final boolean shutdownUnusedN
         shutdownUnusedNode ? extraJetty : cluster.getJettySolrRunners().get(0);
     final int expectedNodesWithActiveReplicas = CLUSTER_SIZE - (shutdownUnusedNode ? 0 : 1);
 
-    cluster.waitForAllNodes(MAX_WAIT_TIMEOUT);
-
     // shutdown a node and check that we get notified about the change
     final CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
     ZkStateReader.from(client)
diff --git a/solr/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/MiniSolrCloudCluster.java b/solr/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/MiniSolrCloudCluster.java
index ee8ced5a367d..b0247a525c2d 100644
--- a/solr/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/MiniSolrCloudCluster.java
+++ b/solr/test-framework/src/java/org/apache/solr/cloud/MiniSolrCloudCluster.java
@@ -472,7 +472,9 @@ public JettySolrRunner getJettySolrRunner(int index) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Start a new Solr instance on a particular servlet context
+   * Start a new Solr instance on a particular servlet context. Waits for the node to appear in
+   * cluster live nodes before returning (unless called during initial cluster construction, in
+   * which case the constructor's own {@link #waitForAllNodes} handles this).
    *
    * @param name the instance name
    * @param config a JettyConfig for the instance's {@link org.apache.solr.embedded.JettySolrRunner}
@@ -500,11 +502,17 @@ public JettySolrRunner startJettySolrRunner(String name, JettyConfig config, Str
     synchronized (startupWait) {
       startupWait.notifyAll();
     }
+    // solrClient is null during the initial parallel cluster startup in the constructor;
+    // in that case the constructor's waitForAllNodes call handles node synchronization.
+    if (solrClient != null) {
+      waitForNode(jetty, DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
+    }
     return jetty;
   }
 
   /**
-   * Start a new Solr instance, using the default config
+   * Start a new Solr instance, using the default config. Waits for the node to appear in cluster
+   * live nodes before returning.
    *
    * @return a JettySolrRunner
    */
@@ -513,7 +521,8 @@ public JettySolrRunner startJettySolrRunner() throws Exception {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Add a previously stopped node back to the cluster on a different port
+   * Add a previously stopped node back to the cluster on a different port. Waits for the node to
+   * appear in cluster live nodes before returning.
    *
    * @param jetty a {@link JettySolrRunner} previously returned by {@link #stopJettySolrRunner(int)}
    * @return the started node
@@ -524,7 +533,8 @@ public JettySolrRunner startJettySolrRunner(JettySolrRunner jetty) throws Except
   }
 
   /**
-   * Add a previously stopped node back to the cluster
+   * Add a previously stopped node back to the cluster. Waits for the node to appear in cluster live
+   * nodes before returning.
    *
    * @param jetty a {@link JettySolrRunner} previously returned by {@link #stopJettySolrRunner(int)}
    * @param reusePort the port previously used by jetty
@@ -535,6 +545,7 @@ public JettySolrRunner startJettySolrRunner(JettySolrRunner jetty, boolean reuse
       throws Exception {
     jetty.start(reusePort);
     if (!jettys.contains(jetty)) jettys.add(jetty);
+    waitForNode(jetty, DEFAULT_TIMEOUT);
     return jetty;
   }